I sprained my ankle pretty badly so I’m having a hard time cooking lately, but tonight I managed to put together some decent tacos. Chicken, potatoes, lime, cumin, yum. I didn’t make mango salsa because we are out of mangoes but the salsa would have seriously improved the tacos, so I’m including the recipe for that too. I’m trying to cut down on fat and my grill broke in a windstorm, so I steam the chicken for these tacos.

When I was a little kid, tacos meant one thing: ground beef. Anything else was labeled “weird” and refused. Now I just throw whatever I want in there. Before we moved down here it didn’t really occur to me to put potatoes in tacos but that seems to be a “thing” down here, and they taste good and are filling, so. When in Rome…

Tacos

4 red potatoes

Small/medium red onion

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbs + 1 tsp cumin

3 limes

Bunch of cilantro

2 Tbs + 1 tsp Garlic-herb seasoning (I use salt-free)

Salt and pepper to taste

I buy large bags of boneless skinless chicken breasts. I choose a marinade in the morning and thaw the chicken in the marinade; it’s usually thawed and ready to cook by dinner. Put the chicken breasts, the 2 tablespoons each of cumin and garlic-herb seasoning, and juice from 2 limes in a container or bag and marinate for a couple of hours (or until the chicken is thawed if you do it my way).

Preheat the oven to 450.

Peel and dice the potatoes and onion; use a small dice so they cook faster. Put them in the bottom of a steamer with enough water to boil them. Add a dash of cumin, garlic, and salt if you like.

Make foil packets with the chicken and some slices of lime. Sprinkle with some more cumin and garlic-herb seasoning and salt and pepper if you like.

Wrap them loosely and put them in the top of the steamer.

Cook until the chicken and potatoes are done. The potatoes should finish first. Lightly oil (or use cooking spray) the bottom of a baking dish.

Drain the potatoes and onions and put them into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining garlic-herb seasoning and cumin over the potatoes and onions and put them into the oven for about 20 minutes or until crispy.

When the chicken is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes and then dice or slice (whatever you prefer) into taco-sized pieces. Put some into the taco with some potatoes, diced tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, cheese, whatever you like on your tacos.

Awesome Mango Salsa

3 mangos (I use ataulfo)

2-3 tomatoes

1 small avocado

½ to 1 tsp crushed garlic, or 1 fresh clove, minced/crushed

Large handful cilantro

Juice from 1-2 limes (to taste)

2 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp garlic-herb seasoning

1 tsp ancho chili powder (I get mine from Penzey’s)

Up to 1 Tbs cider vinegar, or sugar, if needed

Dice mangos, tomato, and avocado in a very small dice. Mince the cilantro very finely. Mix the rest of the ingredients together except for the vinegar or sugar and taste. If it’s too acid or too sweet, add sugar or vinegar to even it out. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.